Last modified: July 5, 2024
Introduction
Returned.com, Inc. ("Company" or "We") respects your privacy and We are committed to protecting it through our compliance with this Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may receive and/or process (which may include connecting, organizing, structure, storing, using or disclosing) when you interact with our website www.returned.com (our "Website") or use any of our downloadable software, including Returned.com mobile application (the “App”) or other features we provide to you (such features, with the App and Website, the “Content”) in connection with our products and services (“Services”). Our Website and App may be referred to collectively as our “Platform”.
Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Privacy Policy have the meanings set forth in the Terms of Use available at https://www.returned.com/terms-of-service. If the terms of this Privacy Policy conflict with the Terms of Use, the terms of this Privacy Policy shall govern.
What Personal Information We Receive
“Personal Information” refers to any details that identifies, is related to, or that can be used to identify a specific individual. This does not include de-identified data or anonymized data that has been stripped of all personal identifiers and cannot be used to identify the individual. We obtain Personal Information when you utilize or engage with Returned.com’s offerings. You may provide this information to us, and it may be collected from you or your device(s) as you use our Services. The Personal Information we gather may fall under these categories.
Profile Information, Contact Information and Other Information You Provide to Us: We obtain contact details or other profile information when you register or engage with Returned.com’s offerings. This may include your name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, profile image, or other details you opt to provide to us. We may associate this information with the various devices or accounts you utilize when interacting with Returned.com’s services. We may also collect financial information from you to process your returns, process return credits for you, and obtain payments from you. In these situations, we collect your credit card, debit card or other payment card information or bank or other financial account information. We may use third-party payment processors to collect and process your payment information. You provide Personal Information and other information to when you contact us through our Platform.
Email Integrations: We receive e-commerce and in-store purchase information from the inbox you connect to your Returned.com account and this information is used to evaluate items eligible for a return within our App. While we have access to your email account and inbox, we only sync order information and other retailer communication such as coupon codes. We may also process special categories of personal data (this may include data relating to e.g. health, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc.) as a side-effect or unavoidable disclosure when scanning your inbox or your account for relevant data. This processing is based on your consent provided by you when you signed up for the Services. We do not process this data for any other purpose. If such special category personal data is directly related to a relevant purchase, we will not use this data for marketing or consumer profiling purposes.
Return and Return Preference Details: Your order information, including which products you have sent back, including your preferences for mail, store-drop off or return package pickup. We may also gather information regarding your interests and preferences for certain products, brands, styles, and overall shopping habits.
Our tracking tools on retailer websites collect order details such as order ID number, product codes, product photo and other retailer communications and eligibility for Returned.com's return services and benefits.
Additionally, we obtain information about your use of or engagement with Returned.com's offerings, whether logged in or not. This encompasses aspects such as product reviews and ratings, interactions with Returned.com’s search functionality or other marketing initiatives.
Device Details: We obtain information regarding the computers, phones, and other devices you utilize to interact with Returned.com's services. This includes your IP address (which may determine approximate location), device identifiers, information from cookies, cookie IDs, web browser details, network connection data, or other unique identifiers and device information. This information may identify you as a customer of particular retailers that you make purchases from.
Payment Details: We obtain payment information when you utilize Returned.com's payment services to: either pay for a percentage of the completed return, pay for a return package pickup or pay for your Returned.com membership. This includes specifics such as your payment card number and expiration date.
Communications with Returned.com: We obtain information, including message and email content, when you contact Returned.com (such as for customer support inquiries, taking surveys, partaking in promotions or research).
Online Activity. We and our advertising partners collect information about your activity on our Platform, the Internet, network, and other online activity information, such as browsing history, search history, and information regarding your interaction with our Platform and other websites. We use various technologies to collect and store location information, including cookies, pixels or pixel tags, local storage, such as browser web storage or application data caches, databases, session replay, and server logs.
We Receive Your Personal Information From Various Sources
Returned.com and our service providers, working on our behalf, receive Personal Information from these categories of sources:
Directly from you: We collect details when you create a Returned.com account, contact us, make a return, sign up for our communications, enter a contest, submit reviews or other content, utilize the Returned.com App, visit our website, or otherwise contact us.
From service providers: We may obtain Personal Information from service providers we engage, such as those that host or maintain our websites and apps, send promotional emails, assist with communications and customer service, perform research and analytics, or provide marketing and advertising services.
Automatically from your devices: We employ various technologies that passively gather information from your devices whenever you visit or interact with our Content including opening and reading emails we send, viewing or clicking on our ads and online content.
From friends who refer you: If a friend purchases a Returned.com membership for you, invites you to sign up, or provides your information, we will receive any details they provide about you.
How and Why We Use Your Personal Information
We may use your Personal Information for the following purposes depending on your activity and how you use, log in and interact with Returned.com and our Content.
Provide and Customize Returned.com Services: To deliver tailored Returned.com offerings to you, including displaying your purchases which are eligible to return in one place, organizing purchases that have passed the return date, providing easy payment for return processing and return package pickup and customizing the product features for you.
Product Research and Development: To develop, test, and improve Returned.com’s products and services, including troubleshooting our products and services, developing new or improved products and services, and analyzing your use of and interactions with Returned.com’s services, including customer service. This may include improving and training artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and large language models.
Implement Your Privacy Preferences and Settings: To track and implement your settings and privacy preferences with Returned.com.
Market, advertise and promote Reutrned.com: To customize the content, advertise and promote Returned.com or our retail partners on and off Returned.com. We may also leverage your details to provide tailored advertising and contact you with personalized deals from us, our advertisers, or partners, including promotional emails and texts. Additionally, to attract and retain users, we or our service providers may utilize collected information to better understand our audience and track ad impressions for advertising and marketing campaigns.
Communicate with You: To communicate with you about Returned.com Content including information about product updates, your account, and changes to our policies and terms. We also use your information to respond to you when you contact us.
Administer the Services in conjunction with Retailers: To communicate with Retailers about your returns, their products and services and use of Returned.com.
Our Use Of AI: To understand and work with both retailer policies and procedures as well as customer needs to optimize and guide best outcomes for our customers and their returns. This may include improving and training artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and large language models.
Authentication, Integrity, Security, and Safety: To authenticate your account, provide a secure payment and return experience, and to detect, investigate, and prevent malicious conduct, fraudulent activity or unsafe experiences, address security threats, protect public safety, and secure Returned.com Services for you.
Legal Reasons: To comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process, including requests from law enforcement or government agencies, to investigate or participate in civil discovery, litigation, or other adversarial legal proceedings, and to enforce or investigate potential violations of our terms or policies.
De-Identified / Anonymized Information. Returned.com may aggregate, de-identify, and/or anonymize any information collected through the Returned.com services in such a way that we cannot reasonably link information to you or your device (“De-Identified Information”). De-Identified Information does not identify you and cannot be used to identify you, we may use De-Identified Information for any of our business purposes in any lawful manner.
Our Use Of AI
One of the ways in which we are able to help customers using Returned.com is by using “generative AI” to help us communicate with Merchants regarding your return request. All AI activities are monitored, refined and improved by our human staff.
AI and Machine Learning Models
Our mobile application uses generative AI technologies to provide our Services and Platform, including to enhance user interactions, to assess and process the quality of receipt data, and to facilitate communications with retailers in connection with the return process. Generative AI is a language processing technology designed to facilitate natural language communication within the app. We use Google Workspace data exclusively to develop, improve, or train AI and/or ML models that are personalized to enhance individual user experiences. These models help us provide better services tailored to each user’s needs. We explicitly affirm that Google Workspace APIs are not used to develop, improve, or train generalized or non-personalized AI and/or ML models.
Use of Google Workspace APIs and User Data
Our application, Returned.com, integrates with Google Workspace APIs to provide our services. We are committed to ensuring the privacy and security of the user data we handle. Below are our policies regarding the use of Google user data:
Development and Improvement of AI/ML Models:
Personalized AI/ML Models: We use Google Workspace data exclusively to develop, improve, or train AI and/or ML models that are personalized to enhance individual user experiences. These models help us provide better services tailored to each user’s needs.
Generalized AI/ML Models: We explicitly affirm that Google Workspace APIs are not used to develop, improve, or train generalized or non-personalized AI and/or ML models.
Data Transfer to Third-Party AI Tools:
Information you provide to us, either directly or through your accounts, will be used to initiate a return request. This information may be incorporated in anonymized and de-identified form into both Returned.com’s artificial intelligence tool and other, third-party artificial intelligence tools (collectively “AI Models”), where it might be used to train AI Models.
You hereby provide Returned.com with an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide, and sublicensable license to use your Personal Information and other data to train, and as inputs in, any AI Models that Returned.com chooses to employ to perform the services.
Returned.com makes extensive use of AI Models, and you understand that the Services will not function for you as intended without Returned.com collecting your personal information and other data and processing this data through AI Models.
However, we do not transfer Google user data to third-party AI tools for the purpose of developing, improving, or training generalized or non-personalized AI and/or ML models.
By using our services, you consent to our collection, use, and sharing of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.
How We Process Your Personal Information During A Return
Returned.com also processes your Personal Information when you initiate a return. When Returned.com processes data in this way we are acting in your direction. We will directly contact the merchant and we will share information about you, such as your name, order number, mailing address, the return reason (if you do not provide the reason, we will choose one for you) and the preferred return method (mail, store drop-off or return package pickup). Will not share any financial information with the merchant, such as your credit card information. We will of course help our customers to fulfill the return request to the extent required by law, such as answering the merchants questions as it pertains to the returns.
Third Parties Who May Receive Your Personal Information
Returned.com may freely share and use non-personal, anonymous information for any purpose, including to improve Returned.com experience. Returned.com may provide Personal Information to the following categories of third parties:
Our Vendors and Service Providers: Returned.com partners with third-party service providers to offer, support, and improve our offerings and technical infrastructure. This includes services like payment processing for purchases made through our platform, marketing, advertising, generative and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools and solutions, and business analytics.
Marketing, Advertising and Analytics Partners: We may use third-party marketing, advertising, and analytics networks and partners to provide personalized promotions and understand how people use Returned.com's services. These partners may receive details on your interactions with our platform, including through cookies or other technologies, such as IP addresses, unique device identifiers, browser type, operating system, time zone, country, referring pages, and other information through the use of cookies, pixel tags, and server logs on our Platform. For example, we may share information with companies serving relevant ads. These partners use this information to provide you with interest-based advertisements that are customized to your particular preferences, including for companies that are not affiliated with us. You may see these interest-based advertisements on our Platform, as well as on third party websites and apps, and across different devices you use. We may use this process to help us manage and improve the effectiveness of our marketing efforts. It also allows to display ads to our users about Returned.com and our Services after they leave our Platform, and to track users after they see or click on an advertisement, keep track of users who access our Platform or advertisements from different devices, and better provide advertisements to our target audiences. The data collected through these tracking technologies is also saved and processed by our advertising and marketing service provider partners. You can learn more about interest-based advertisements and your opt-out rights and options from members of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) on its website (www.networkadvertising.org) and from members of the Digital Advertising Alliance on its websites (www.aboutads.info and www.privacyrights.info).
Retail Partners: When you utilize Returned.com's services to initiate a return, we may share your Personal Information. For example, we may provide your name, email address, mailing address associated with the order you are requesting to return. With some retailers, we may share your retailer account number, if you have voluntarily provided this information to us, such as through email, order pages, or our App.
Change of Control: We may share Personal Information with actual or potential acquirers, representatives and other parties participating in negotiations of any merger, acquisition, restructuring or change in control event for our business or assets.
Legal Reasons: We may share Personal Information to: (1) comply with law, subpoenas, or other legal processes; (2) enforce our policies; (3) detect fraud, abuse or safety issues; (4) meet corporate responsibilities; (5) protect rights and property; and (6) resolve disputes and enforce agreements.
Sharing With Your Consent or at Your Discretion: Where you provide consent, we share your information as described at that time, like integrating third party apps or sites.
Community Forums and User Submissions: Our Offerings may provide opportunities to submit retailer or product reviews, messages, and publicly post content in forums, through interactive features, and other communication functionalities. Please note that any information you submit (such as your name/username or purchased products) may be publicly displayed when you make these posts and submissions.
Your Privacy Rights and Choices
You may have certain rights to manage your Personal Information depending on your jurisdiction. To exercise any available privacy rights, please email privacy@returned.com.
Mobile Apps: If you access our offerings via our mobile apps, we may send push notifications to your device with permission. You can opt out of receiving these at any time by turning off push notifications in your device settings. You can also limit certain advertising practices using your device settings.
You can generally opt out of receiving interest-based advertisements from third party advertisers and ad networks who are members of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) or who follow the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising by visiting the opt out pages on the NAI website and DAA website. We do not control third parties’ collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However, these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can also opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the NAI on its website. You can learn more about interest-based advertisements and your opt out rights and options on the NAI website and DAA website.
Marketing Emails and Texts: You can opt out of marketing emails by following the link in each one received. For any text messages offered through our services, you can unsubscribe by replying STOP. You can also adjust preferences in your returned.com account settings. However, we may still send communications related to using our services, notices of policy changes, or other informational messages.
Do Not Track: Some browsers have Do Not Track signals to inform websites and services not to track your activity. However, our websites and services do not currently alter practices based on Do Not Track browser signals.
Depending on your state of residency or other jurisdiction, your rights may include:
Access and Portability: Obtain access to and copies of your Personal Information
You may have the right to request that Returned.com disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your Personal Information over the past 12 months for the above business and commercial purposes. To submit an access request, see Exercising Access and Deletion Rights, below. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request, we will disclose to you:
The categories of Personal Information we collected about you.
The categories of sources for the Personal Information we collected about you.
Our business or commercial purpose for collecting that Personal Information.
The categories of third parties with whom we share that Personal Information.
The specific pieces of Personal Information we collected about you.
If we sold or disclosed your Personal Information for a business purpose, two separate lists disclosing:
Sales, identifying the Personal Information categories that each category of recipient purchased; and
Disclosures for a business purpose, identifying the Personal Information categories that each category of recipient obtained.
Correction/Rectification: Fix inaccurate or incomplete Personal Information
Deletion/Erasure: Request deletion of your Personal Information
Right to opt out of selling personal information: While we do not currently “sell” personal information as most consumers understand that term, this Privacy Policy describes in more detail throughout how we disclose and share personal information with our third-party business partners in connection with the operation of our business. Please contact us if you have questions or would like additional information about these disclosures and sharing, and to exercise any opt out rights you may have under applicable law.
Right to opt out of sharing personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising. As described more fully above, we may share personal information or cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising. See Marketing, Advertising and Analytics Partners for more information and your opt out rights. Please contact us if you have questions or would like additional information about this sharing, and to exercise any opt out rights you may have under applicable law.
You will not face discrimination for exercising the above rights. You can submit requests by calling our toll-free number at 720-500-7000 or by emailing us at privacy@returned.com. We may verify your identity before responding as needed.
Note we may deny or only partially fulfill certain requests based on legal rights and duties – like retaining data as required by regulations, keeping accounts active, processing transactions, and facilitating customer needs.
You can appoint an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf by emailing us at privacy@returned.com. Please have the agent specify themselves as your authorized representative when emailing.
Security
While Returned.com implements commercially reasonable measures aimed at protecting your Personal Information, no data transmission over the Internet or electronic storage can be guaranteed 100% secure. Returned.com cannot ensure or guarantee the security of any information we gather. You use our offerings and provide us details at your own risk.
Retention
We keep Personal Information for as long as we have an ongoing business purpose (e.g. to provide our services, comply with legal/tax/accounting needs, for security and fraud prevention, or for backup/disaster recovery), unless different retention is permitted by law.
The criteria we use to determine retention periods include:
The duration of our relationship and provision of services to you (for instance, for as long as you have an account or use our offerings)
Whether you edit or delete your information through your account
If Returned.com has a legal obligation to retain data (such as records of transactions per regulations)
If retention is advisable given our legal position (like enforcing agreements, resolving disputes, statutes of limitations, litigation, or investigations)